Cable Wooing Network Viewers
The new television season is the broadcast networks’ time to strut. But cable TV won’t play the wallflower after aggressively courting viewers this summer. Among cable’s most notable offerings (with dates given where possible):
“Comic Relief VII” Whoopi Goldberg, Billy Crystal and Robin Williams reunite Nov. 11 on HBO to benefit the homeless.
“The American Teacher Awards” - The Disney Channel salutes the finest educators Nov. 1.
“Dana Carvey” - The comedian stars in his first HBO special in October.
“Planet of Life” - A seven-part look at the history of evolution. It debuts Oct. 2 on the Discovery Channel.
“On Jupiter” - Discovery Channel looks at the planet Dec 3.
“Picture Windows” - Famous paintings by Hopper, Degas and others inspire the stories in two trilogies from Showtime. Peter Bogdanovich and Norman Jewison are among the directors; the actors include John Hurt, Alan Arkin and Brian Keith.
“Masters of American Music” - The Bravo series looks at Louis Armstrong (tonight), Count Basie (Friday and Sept. 17), Charlie Parker (Sept. 22 and 24), John Coltrane (Sept. 29 and Oct. 1), Thelonius Monk (Oct. 6 and 8), Sarah Vaughan (Oct. 13 and 15).
“Truman” - HBO’s version of David McCullough’s biography, with Gary Sinise (“Forrest Gump”) as the 33rd U.S. president. It debuted Saturday, but will repeat through September.
“The Man in the Attic” - Based on a true story, the Showtime movie tells of a Milwaukee woman (Anne Archer) who hid her lover (Neil Patrick Harris) in the attic for 20 years. It debuts at 10:15 tonight on Showtime.
“The Colony” - A USA Network thriller about a family that moves into a gated community ruled by a crazed billionaire. John Ritter and Hal Linden star Wednesday.
“Night Watch” - Pierce Brosnan looks for a stolen painting in this USA Network thriller. It premieres Oct. 4.
“The Heidi Chronicles” - The Pulitzer Prize-winning play comes to TNT, adapted by playwright Wendy Wasserstein. Jamie Lee Curtis plays the lead; the movie debuts Oct. 15.
“Black Tuesday” - An HBO drama about the love affair during World War II of a black American soldier and a white Englishwoman who is married. For October.
“Deadly Love” - Susan Dey plays a lovelorn vampire in the Lifetime movie for October.
“Sam & Phyllis” - John Turturro (“Quiz Show”) plays mob boss Sam Giancana, and Mary-Louise Parker (“Boys on the Side”) is singer Phyllis McGuire in this HBO love story for November.
“When the Vows Break” - Patty Duke learns the pitfalls of no-fault divorces in this Lifetime movie for November.
“Ebbie” - Susan Lucci plays a Elizabeth “Ebbie” Scrooge in this Lifetime fantasy inspired by Dickens. For December.
“Andersonville” - A TNT drama about the Confederate prisoner of war camp; John Frankenheimer directs.
“Moses” - The latest biblical drama from TNT stars Ben Kingsley and Frank Langella. For April 1996.
“The Man Who Captured Eichmann” - Robert Duvall plays the Nazi, who was found in Buenos Aires 15 years after World War II ended. For TNT.
“Road to Galveston” - Cicely Tyson plays a widow who cares for Alzheimer’s patients. A USA Network movie for Jan. 10.
“Kissinger and Nixon” - Ron Silver plays the secretary of state and Beau Bridges is the president in this TNT movie.
“Down Came a Blackbird” - A Showtime movie about political torture, with Laura Dern as a victimized reporter, Vanessa Redgrave as a therapist and Raul Julia in his final performance.
“Riders of the Purple Sage” - Ed Harris and Amy Madigan star in the Zane Grey western for TNT.